Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero Reviews
It took 17 years to wait, which in the end were totally worth it. The end result, despite its small problems that are easily resolved, is everything fans ever wanted and dreamed of. Although its story is not as relevant as that of other titles, I feel that it is excellent in this way. I feel that this game is in complete parallel with Dragon Ball Kakarot, that is, one with more competitive gameplay and the other with a more stripped-down story and gameplay more focused on it. I would venture to say that this might be the best Dragon Ball game of all time and that from now on, it will be difficult to build something better than this title. Sparkling! ZERO will certainly remain forever in the history of anime-inspired video games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The name might have changed, aligning with the Japanese series title, but Sparking! Zero screams Budokai Tenkaichi 4 so loudly that it brings back nostalgic memories. Despite awkward menus and a somewhat incomplete and oddly structured campaign, Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft's work is a worthy successor to the beloved series that my peers and I enjoyed playing 17 years ago and has been absent from the gaming scene for far too long.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is a hefty game, yet the clear omissions make it feel like a lesser product compared to a title from nearly two decades ago. And while that may disappoint a lot of players, what is present is a great action fighter that looks and more importantly feels awesome to play.
After years of absence, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero brings us a delicious Dragon Ball game where you can entertain a lot of hours with friends on the couch. Fly with Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and all other known past iconic fights and give it a twist with what could happen if Goku and associates would have made a different choice. Graphically it is really a progress and in terms of fighter schedule you have enough choice not only to opt for a Goku or Vegeta. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a fantastic game that is really made for fans.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO succeeds in delivering a nostalgic yet fresh experience for longtime fans of the series. The sheer amount of content, from its massive roster of characters to the episodic story mode, makes it a love letter to the franchise's rich history. The combat mechanics feel responsive and fast-paced, rewarding both casual and competitive players.
A vibrant, flashy and overdue return to one of Dragon Ball’s best game series. But it’s not quite fresh enough to keep me coming back for more.
Even with some issues that I found a bit obnoxious, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is by far my favorite Dragon Ball game. It modernizes the Budokai Tenkaichi gameplay into something more accessible, cinematic, and downright beautiful. The gameplay is addicting while being deep once you get into the nitty-gritty of the moves you can use, and I adore the custom battles you can make. I do wish the UI and menus were less tedious, and the camera angles in some instances during battle can get in the way, but the sheer fun I had actually battling outweighed it all. I do wish performance on the Steam Deck matched the amount of fun I really had with the game, and I do hope it will get better with some patches, but it is technically playable, as long as you can deal with the drops and slowdowns that could occur.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is far from a perfect game, yet that hardly matters when we’re holding what truly feels like a dream come true. This title is a celebration of the saga, with refined gameplay that will captivate both veterans and newcomers alike. Despite its flaws, the dedication of the development team is clear, delivering everything fans could have wished for—and perhaps even more.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero revives the old Tenkaichi series and, in addition to a huge character package, offers straightforward brawler fun like in the anime.
Review in German | Read full review
I won't say that Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game out there because I still prefer Kakarot, which is already over four years old. However, it definitely is the adaptation with the most refined combat system and the best fighting game in the Dragon Ball universe on the market. If all elements of the game were on such a high level, it would deserve the highest score, but the limitations in the story mode and the split-screen gameplay are too significant to not negatively affect the final rating. One also can't ignore cut-out content to sell it as DLC. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that we are dealing with an excellent title, which is a must-play for all Dragon Ball series fans.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO returns more loaded than ever, delivering what old players of the Budokai Tenkaichi series have come to expect and adding some nice little extras that go the extra mile in key areas.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO delivers a massive 182-character roster that spans all eras of Dragon Ball but lacks representation from the original Dragon Ball series and certain fan-favorite characters. While the What-If story paths add intrigue, the overall story mode feels lackluster, skipping content from Dragon Ball GT and the movies, However, the game shines with its custom battles, in-depth combat system, and returning fan-favorite features like Chi-Chi's encyclopedia. This game, as a whole, makes for a fun, nostalgic experience for new and old Dragon Ball fans.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is the best video game adaptation of Master Toriyama's work. It's a love letter created by fans and for fans, a tribute to one of the greatest franchises of all time, arriving on the market at the perfect moment. An impressive audio-visual component and a renewed depth in gameplay make Sparking! ZERO a title truly recommended for all lovers of Goku and his friends. It’s a video game that feels like a rebirth, where nostalgia and the past intertwine with the future, giving us strong emotions, even beyond gaming experience. Put on your gi, it’s time to fight like true Saiyans!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO stokes the fires of the Dragon Ball fandom, but it could be a raging inferno with the right post-launch support. My wish to Super Shenron is that the game gets lots of polish, new modes, better online connectivity, and as many characters as it will hold.
It’s almost odd that one of the best things about Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is the fact it’s not trying to be the most technically sound or balanced fighting game in the franchise. Yes, it’s inconsistent and occasionally frustrating, but the sheer amount of stuff to do, and characters to play as, all culminated in me feeling like I was just playing an incredibly pretty PS2 game from back in the day, back when developers would try to fit in a DVD with as much content and fanservice as possible, balancing be damned.
Dragon Ball fans, get ready for an exciting new adventure! DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO offers an amazing combat experience, fast-paced action that takes you back to the most important moments of the beloved series. With rich storytelling. In simple words, “It exceeds 9000!”.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is a beautiful, fast, dynamic and fun game, without a doubt worth playing.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an incredibly fun and polished fighting game: it's beautiful, it has nice animations and, above all, it's an highly entertaining title, good for both Budokai Tenkaichi veterans and new fans alike.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Ball: Sparking ZERO is a heart-felt culmination of all the best Dragon Ball experiences from the last thirty years. Though the game can be very difficult at times, DBSZ stand on its own with some of the best gameplay and graphical presentation we have seen in recent years.
Overall, Sparking Zero lives up to its hype as a thrilling addition to the Dragon Ball franchise, with room for improvement through future updates and potential DLC.